Ice creeper



C. HARVEY Get. 12, 1943.

ICE CREEPER Filed Nov. 23', 1942 afiaflz'e y INVENTOR.

Patented Oct. 12, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,331,609 I I t 1 M ICE CREE'PER g V Clarence Harvey, Canastota, N. Y. I Application November 23, 1942, Serial No. 466,648

Claims. (01. 36-61) Thisinvention relates to devices known as ice creepers, and primarily to devices of this character designed for use on overshoes, boots or the like, to prevent persons from slipping, when walking on icy or snowy surfaces.

An important object of the invention is to provide a device ofthis character which may be secured at the instep portion of the overshoe or boot, in such a way that it will not in any way interfere with the natural walking of the person using the device.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which, when in its inactive position, will be concealed within the space formed at the instep portion of the overshoe or boot, and one which may be readily moved from its inactive to its active position or vice versa.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein described,

may be made within the scope of what is claimed,

without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure 1 is an elevational view illustrating the ice creeper as secured to a rubber overshoe.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the device.

Figure 3 is a front elevational View of the ice creeper.

Referring to the drawing in detail the body portion or supporting section of the creeper, embodies a main bar 5 which is of a width to extend to the side edges of the overshoe or boot, at a point adjacent to the heel thereof. Formed integral with the main bar 5, and extending upwardly and rearwardly therefrom, are arms 6, the bar and arms being constructed of semi-rigid material, so that the arms will have a certain amount of flexibility to enable them to grip the overshoe or boot, on which the creeper is positioned.

As shown by Figure 2 of the drawing, the ends of the arms 6 are curved inwardly as at "l to conform to the curvature of the heel of the overshoe or boot, so that the arms will have a firm grip at the heel portion of the overshoe or boot.

Formed along the front edge of the bar 5, is a forwardly and downwardly extended flange 8 which is provided with elongated openings to receive the side bars'9 ofzthe spur plate, forming a part of the ice creeper. l

The plate is of substantially rectangular formation, the center thereof having been cut away to define the side bars9 and front and rear bars I 0 and II respectively. Thus it will be seen thatv when the. spur plate has .been positioned, the bars 9 will slide freely in the elongated openings of the flange 8. I

In the construction of the spur. plate, the side bars 9 are bent upwardly, as clearly shown by Figure 1 of the drawing, and the front bar I0 is extended slightly downwardly, providing a stop for the spur plate, when the plate is moved from its inactive position as shown in dotted line in Figure 1 of the drawing, to the full line position. Since the side bars 9 are bent slightly upwardly,

it will be seen that when the plate is moved to its I active position, a binding action will be set up between the rear bar of the spur plate and bottom of the heel of the overshoe or rubber, to hold the spur plate securely in position.

Spurs indicated at l2 are punched from the spur plate, and extend downwardly therefrom to bite into the ice'or snow surface over which the person, wearing the overshoe or boot, is walking.

Rearwardly extended spurs l3 are formed integral with the rear edge of the main bar 5 and are adapted to bite into the heel portion of the overshoe or boot, to hold the main bar 5 into close engagement with the surface of'the instep of the overshoe or boot. I

From the foregoing it will be seen that by forcing the spurs [3 into the heel at a point adjacent to the instep, as shown by Figure 1,

and moving the arms 6 over the heel of the overshoe or boot, the device will be securely held in position. With the device in this position, it

will also be seen that the spur plate may be effectively used when positioned on the ordinary shoe.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. An ice creeper of the class described, comprising a main bar adapted to besecured, against the instep portion of an overshoe, upwardly and rearwardly curved arms extending from the ends of the bar and adapted'to grip the heel portion of the overshoe, securing the main bar in position, and a spur plate slidably connected with the main bar and adapted to be moved to a position over the heel of the overshoe, or to a position within the instep portion thereof.

2. An ice creeper of the class described comprising a main bar adapted to be secured against the instep portion of an overshoe, spurs extending rearwardly from the main bar and adapted to be embedded in the rubber of the heel of the overshoe, upwardly and rearwardly curved arms at the ends of the main bar and adapted to grip th heel portion of the overshoe, a spur plate.

ed to be moved from a position within the instep portion of the overshoe, to a position directly over the heel portion thereof.

3. An ice creeper of the class described comprising a main bar adapted to be secured against the instep portion of an overshoe, a forwardly and downwardly extended flange formed along one of the longitudinal edges of the bar, said flange having openings, a spur plate embodying side bars movable through the openings, said spur plate adapted to move from a position within the confines of the instep portion of the overshoe, to a position directly over the heel of the overshoe, and upwardly and rearwardly curved arms formed integral at the ends of the main bar and adaptedto grip the heel of the overshoe on which the device is positioned.

4. An ice creeper of the class described comprising a main bar adapted to be secured against the instep portion of an overshoe, yieldable arms extending upwardly and rearwardly from the ends of the main bar and adapted to grip the heel portion of the overshoe on which the device is positioned, a flange extending from the forward edge of the main bar, said flange having openings, a spur plate embodying side bars movable through the openings, said spur plate adapted to move from a position within the instep portion of the overshoe on which the device is positioned, to a position directly over the heel thereof, and said spur plate adapted to be held into engagement with the overshoe, by pressure on the plate caused by the plate moving in contact with the overshoe.

5. An ice creeper of the class described comprising a main bar adapted to be secured against the instep portion of an overshoe adjacent to the heel thereof, arms extending upwardly from the bar and adapted to grip the heel of the overshoe, a spur plate slidably connected with the bar and having an outwardly curved portion adapted to contact with the main bar, and said outwardly curved portion of the spur plate adapted to set up a binding action with the main bar, holding the spur plate into close engagement with the sole of the overshoe on which the device is positioned.

CLARENCE HARVEY. 

